A young woman with a severe bilateral pneumonia as the presenting sign of an adrenal carcinoma

S A J Chamuleau; E P M Corssmit; A M Pereira; B T J van de Berg; C E H Siegert

A young woman with a severe bilateral pneumonia as the presenting sign of an adrenal carcinoma

Neth J Med. 2008 Mar;66(3):121-4.

Authors

S A J Chamuleau¹, E P M Corssmit, A M Pereira, B T J van de Berg, C E H Siegert

Affiliation

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, St Lucas Andreas Hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. s.a.chamuleau@amc.uva.nl

PMID: 18349468

Abstract

A severe bilateral, culture-negative pneumonia was diagnosed in a 22-year-old woman. Additional diagnostic procedures accidentally revealed a large adrenal carcinoma and hypercortisolism. The adrenal carcinoma was surgically removed, and she received mitotane treatment. This severe and life-threatening infection was the first sign of an immunosuppressive state as part of Cushing's syndrome due to the adrenal carcinoma.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / complications*
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / drug therapy
Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / surgery
Adult
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / therapeutic use
Carcinoma / complications*
Carcinoma / diagnosis*
Carcinoma / drug therapy
Carcinoma / surgery
Cushing Syndrome / complications*
Cushing Syndrome / etiology
Female
Humans
Immunocompromised Host*
Mitotane / therapeutic use
Pneumonia / diagnosis*
Pneumonia / etiology

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
Mitotane